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(cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics 

United States Department of Agriculture and State 
Agricultural Colleges Cooperating 



THE PAPER DRESS FORM 



OFFICE OF EXTENSION WORK 




UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 207 



Contribution from the States Relations Service 
A. C. TRUE, Director 



WoshiiiKlon, D. C. 



Issued January, 1922 



WASHINGTON •, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFlie : l»JS 



Ma<9gTa»k 



FREQUENT REQUESTS received by the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture for directions for making 
gummed paper dress forms have led to the prepara- 
tion of this circular. It should be understood, how- 
ever, that the making of these forms having been 
first taught by the extension workers in the States, 
the directions herein given are largely a compilation 
from various State extension circulars and leaflets. 
It should also be understood that the dress form, 
popular as it has become as a household conveni- 
ence, is only one feature of extension teaching in 
clothing, and that clothing in its turn is only one of 
many home economics activities that are being car- 
ried on in the various States through the Cooperative 
Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Eco- 
nomics. 



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OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FRC'M 

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TT52,0 



THE PAPER DRESS FORM. 



AN OUTSTANDING PEOBLEM of the rural home is the cloth- 
ing of the family. The varied activities incident to the daily 
work of the housewife add to the difficulty of finding time to do the 
necessary sewing, even if she has the knowledge and skill which this 
work requires. To assist the rural homo maker with this problem 
the gummed paper dress form is recommended by the home demon- 
stration agents as a time-saving and labor-saving device. 




I'm. 1. -It is imiJULtaul. to wink iiuickly iu aiakiiig llie form. It it. llicnl'ore di.siiablo 
to have two worl;crs apply iho strips of gummed paper while two others moisten 
them. In moistening the strips, take care to soften the glue thoroughly hut not 
to rub it off. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE FORM. 

With the assistance of several neighbors, a woman can make for 
lierself at small expense a heav}'^ paper dress form that will repro- 
duce the lines of her figure and be a usefulconvenience in home dress- 
making. The form can be made easily and quickly — five pei-sons 
working together, one for the model, two to moisten the strips of 
gummed paper, and two to apply them. (Fig. 1.) 



-7< 



2 Department Circular W7, V. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



MATERIALS NEEDED.^ 

< 

(1) Shit^t. — A light-weight cotton gauze shirt with high necl<: and 
cap or long sleeves. The shirt must fit the figure very snugly and ex- 
tend below the fullest part of the hips. Select a shirt at least 6 inches 
smaller than the actual bust measure. (Fig. 2.) 

(2) Paper. — One 8-inch 
roll of inch-wide gummed 
paper such as is now used 
by many firms in fastening 
packages, ' ' forty - pound ' ' 
weight generally' being 
preferred. 

(3) Base. — A piece of 
board three-eighths of an 
inch or more thick and 
large enough to form a 
base for the form at the 
fullest part of the hips. 
If the form is not to be 
mounted on a standard, 
heavy cardboard may be 
used for the base. 

(4) Varnish or shel- 
lac. — Wliile it is' not abso- 
lutely necessary to apply 
a protective coating, the 
form may be rendered 
proof against moisture and 
dry heat by varnishing it 
inside and out. This will 
require about half a pint 
of the inexpensive colorless 
varnish commonly sold or 
an equal amount of the 
more expensive shellac. 
Ordinary paint has been 

successfully used where neither varnish nor shellac w^as available. 
This coating stiffens the form as well as protects it. 

(5) Other materials. — A sponge or soft cloth, small basin of water, 
needle and thread, sharp scissors, pencil, yardstick, tapeline, and 
safety-razor blade ; waste-paper basket ; also a basin of warm water 
and a towel for wiping sticky fingers. 

1 ("ommercial dress-form sets are now on the market in small, medium, and large 
sizes. These consist of a specially designed high-necked shirt and a supply of gummed 
paper of the proper weight. Some contain also a small sponge and an illustrated booklet 
of directions. 




Fig. 2. — The first article required is a shirt which 
fits the figure very snugly. The shirt shown 
here is part of a commercial dress form set. 
Note the high collar and cap length sleeves. 
Strips around waist and neck hold the shirt in 
place. To make the strips lie smoothly, stretch 
them slightly as they are applied. 



The Paper Dress Form. 3 

(6) The model. — All usual garments should be worn except the 
dress, taking care to have a comparatively smooth surface over which 
to paste the paper. 

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 

(1) The model should stand still. If she twists about or moves 
head or arms, she may stretch the moist paper or pull the strips out 
of place. 

(2) The work should be done as quickly as possible, without sacrific- 
ing accuracy. All preliminary preparations should be made with the 
model seated. The actual pasting on of the strips should not take 
more than an hour and a quarter. A practiced team can do it in a 
much shorter time. 

{"?>) The strips should l)e moistened enough to soften the glue thor- 
oughly, but should not be too moist. Some beginners make the mis- 
take of wiping off the glue instead of merely moistening it. 

(4) Lap the strips carefull}'^ Avhere the ends meet, as on the shoul- 
ders and at the waistline. Excessive overlapping at these places 
tends to throw the form out of proportion : insufficient lapping tends 
to weaken it. 

(5) While the first layer must bo well and strongly constructed, 
the same regard for appearance is not necessary with this layer as 
with the outside layer. 

(6) The important consideration is to have the paper fit smoothly, 
without wrinkles, and to have the dress form of uniform thickness 
throughout. The lines of the figure will to some extent govern the 
way the paper is applied. 

PREPARATION. 

(1) The paper may be left on the roll and moistened as used, or 
strips may be torn or cut long enough to reach from shoulder 
to just below fullest part of hips, and moistened as used. 

(2) Unless a speciallj' constructed shirt is used (a) cut button-hole 
section off the front of the shirt; (b) cut off a part of the sleeve, or 
a piece about 2| inches wide by 10 inches long from the bottom of the 
shirt. Stretch this well and baste smoothly around the neck to make 
the collar, which should meet in front. 

(3) Record neck, bust, and waist measures, and also the measure 
over the fullest part of hips, noting how many inches below the waist- 
line this hip line falls. 

(4) Place the shirt on the model. Some prefer, after the measure- 
ments have been taken, to draw in the corsets until the Avaist meas- 
ures about one-half inch less than normal. This is done because the 
lapping of the paper at the waistline tends to increase the waist 
measure someAvhat out of proportion to the rest of the figure. 

(5) Overhand the shirt together up the front to the top of the 
collar. If it fits loosely, take darts under arms and in the back. 

75581°— 22 2 



4 Department Circular W7, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



CONSTRUCTION. 

While there are many satisfactory ways to construct a dress form, 
the following will be found simple and reliable : 

FIRST COAT. 

Pull the shirt down tightly over the hips and hold it close to the 
figure by passing a strip very tightly around the waistline. If this 
strip is moistened on the ends only it may be shifted until the proper 
waistline is found. For a very heavy figure it may be advisable to 

make this waistband of 
surgeon's tape instead of 
paper. (See fig. 2.) 

The first coat should 
completely cover the shirt, 
extending just below the 
fullest part of the hips. 

If two people are apply- 
ing the strips, the first 
should complete one side 
of the front before the 
second begins to work on 
the back, and may com- 
plete the other side of the 
front and be read}' to work 
on the hips while the 
second worker is complete- 
ing the back. 

Front. — Starting from 
the strip around the neck, 
begin at the center front 
and paste a strip from the 
collar to the bottom of the 
shirt. On each side of this 
strip place other strips, 
lapping them about one- 
half inch. If the figure is 
slight, the strips may be 
continued to the bottom of the shirt. For a fidl figure and over the 
fullest part of the bust it will be necessary to use separate pieces 
above and below the waistline. Where necessary tear the paper at 
the waistline and use the balance either above or below the waist, 
according to length. The strips on the bust may curve toward the 
center. When they do this, tear off the surplus paper after it is 
lapped. Use short strips to extend the shoulder. 

Back. — Begin the back on the side already completed in front^,' 
lapping the strips lightly on the shoulder and pasting the j^aper 




Fig. 3. 



-Building up tlie under aim with alteinat 
ing diagonnl strips. 



The Paper Dress Form. 



tightly and smoothly down to the waistline. Place the strips on the 
back as for the front. 

Under arm. — For a full figure fill in the space between Avaistline 
and armpit with slanting strips, brought well up under the arm and 
alternating front and back. (Figs. 3 and 4.) For a very heavy 
figure the strips may be started at the waistline in center front and 
center back and carried 
diagonally across to center 
back and center front. For 
a slight figure the strips 
may be placed horizontally. 

Below the loaist. — Paste 
stri])s straight down from 
the waistline. Fill in any 
triangular spaces left be- 
tween the strips wilh 
shorter strips. Be sure 
that the lower part of the 
form is firm and strong, 
but do not distort the 
waistline by too much 
o\erlapping at that point. 

SECOND COAT. 

Brace the first coat 
above tlie waist by placing 
two or three short strips 
horizontally at the front 
and back below the base of 
the neck. Brace it below 
the waist by bringing 
several strips diagonally 
from waist line to bottom 
of form. Several strips 
placed almost horizontally 
over the fullest part of the 
hips will help to stitfen 
the lower part of the form. 
Avl)ich by reason of the 
spreading of the strips, tends to be less firm than the upi)er pai't. 
Place guide strips on shoulders and under arms to indicate where 
strips should meet. The front of the second coat, above the waist, 
should be completed before the work on the back is begun. 

Front. — Starting from the top of the right shoulder at the neck 
bring strip diagonally across the chest and well under the left arm- 
pit, to the guide strip. (Fig. 4.) Repeat from left shoulder and con- 




FiG. 4. — Slaitiug the secoiui coat. I'lii' liips aro 
first braced with a few diagonal strips. Diagonal 
strips, altoruating from right and left shoulders, 
arc then carried across chest to the under arm. 
The back is Iniilt like the front. 



6 Department Circular 207, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



tiniie with alternating strips, crossing at center front, until front is 
covered to the waist line. The strips may curve toward the center 
over the bust. 
Back. — Proceed with the back as with the front. 
Below the tvalst. — Place strips as for the first coat. Cover in the 
ends of the strips at the waist with one or two horizontal strips. 

Sleeve. — The form may be finished either with a cap extend- 
ing two or throe inches beyond the shoulder joint, or with a short 

sleeve. The former is 
the simpler, and for 
most purposes all 
that is necessar3\ To 
make sleeve, have the 
model stand with 
arms slightly akimbo, 
resting the hands 
well down on the 
hips. The pose must 
be held while the 
sleeve is being made 
and until it becomes 
partially dry. Other- 
wise the sleeve tends 
to wrinkle when the 
form is removed 
from the model. 
(For a model with a 
large arm, it is better 
to make form and 
sleeve separately, and 
fasten them together 
with gummed paper 
after removal from 
model. 

Pull the shirt 
sleeve well into place, 
and paste a strip of 
paper around it as 
far down as the sleeve is to extend, and loose enough to remove 
readily. Draw two or three strips snugly up under the armpit and 
lap them on the shoulder, covering in the edge of the armhole. 
There will be a few wrinkles under the armpit. Fill in the sleeve 
with strips passing around the arm and lapping on upper side. 
Finish sleeve and shoulder by pasting several strips lengthwise from 
neck to bottom of sleeve, covering in the lapped ends. (See fig. 7.) 
Neck. — Place one or two strips snugly around the neck, pasting 
firmly to foundation collar and over the ends of the strips around 




Fig. 5. — Removing the form from tlie model. A safety- 
razor blade is handy for cutting through the stiffer 
portions of the form. Note guide lines and strips com- 
pleting neck and sleeves. 



The Paper Dress Form. 7 

the neck. Small slashes on the lower side of these collar strips will 
help to make them fit smoothly. (Fig. 5.) 

MARKING AND TAKINC; OFK. 

Record neck, bust, waist, and hip measures, noting the diflFeronce 
between these and the original measurements. 

Draw a line down the exact middle of the front and of the hack. 
Several short lines should be drawn perpendicularly to the dividing 
line, both front and back, to serve as guides in bringing the halves of 
the finished form together. (See fig. 5.) 

With yardstick and pencil mark several points equidistant fi'om 
floor around the fullest \r,\vi of the hips and connect witli horizontal 




Fig. G. — Trimming tlu> lower edge of tlie form ou the hip line. 

line (draw a line parallel to the floor). Record distance from hip 
line to floor, the height of the standard required for the figure. 

With a safety-razor blade or a pair of strong, i)referably round- 
pointed, scissors, cut on lines drawm through center front and center 
back, and remove the form. (See fig. 5.) 

Trim the lower edge on the hip line, and the armholes on the 
creases, unless a sleeve has been made. (Fig. 6.) 

The finished form tends to be about 1 inch larger in the bust 
and H inches larger in the w^aist than the natural figure. To 
reduce the form to normal measure, mark off on the front and back 
of each half of the form one-fourth of the total difference to be sub- 
tracted. Take care to have the lines very straight, so that the two 
halves of the form will fit tosether evenly. The difference tends to 



8 Department Ciiciitar 207, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



be greater at the waist line because of the larger amount of lapping 
in that part of the form, unless the corsets have been drawn in as 
suggested under " Preparation." In case the amount to be subtracted 
at the waist is larger than the amount to be subtracted at the bust, 
mark off on each of the four edges, on a line extending from bottom 

of form to top of waist- 
line, one- fourth of the 
total amount to be sub- 
tracted at waistline. At 
the neck allow one-eighth 
inch on each edge and join 
the two points (neck and 
top of waistline) with 
straight lines. Trim on 
these lines. Experience 
has shown that a dress 
form so trimmed can be 
fitted together with very 
little trouble. 

FINISHING. 

Two people will be 
needed to put the form to- 
gether. This should be 
done as promptly as pos- 
sible. If the halves are 
allowed to dry out it will 
be much harder to put the 
form together. Further- 
more, the true contour of 
the hips is likely to be lost. 
Cut a number of 2|-inch 
strips, moisten one end, 
and paste them, about 1 
inch apart, along the front 
and back edges of one-half 
of the form. (Fig. 7.) 
The strips may be placed 

either on the inside of the form or on the outside. Many persons 

find it easier to place them on the outside. 

Put the back together first, beginning with the bottom. One 

worker should moisten the ends of the strips, the other should brace 

the form, holding one hand inside and one outside, and smoothing 

down the strips as they are moistened. (Fig. 8.) 
Put the front tosether in the same manner. 



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Fig. 7. — To put the form together,, short strips are 
pasted about an inch apart to the edges of one 
of the halves. The projecting portion is not 
moistened until the form is to be put together. 
Note finish on neck, sleeve, and bottom, made by 
pasting short strips over the trimmed edges. 



The Paper Dress Form. 



9 



If the cross strips have been placed on the outside of the fonn. 
brace the joining on the inside with a few short cross strips if neces- 
sary. If the work has been skillfully done, however, it will be suffi- 
cient to paste a long strip slightly slashed at intervals on both edges, 
over the joining from top to bottom on the inside of the form. The 
joining and any cross strips used on the outside should be covered 
with lengthwise strips, slightly slashed at the waist line. (See cover 
illustration.) 

Test the form to see if it stands level. If it does not, trim it as 
necessary. 

Stand the form on the board or cardboard selected for the base, 
and mark around the lower edcre. Cut on this line. The base should 




I'm. S. — Tho halves; of the form must bo put together promptly to prcvcut warpiuj;. 
Join the hacks first, then the fronts. At least two persons are required to accom- 
plish this quickly and easily. 

fit snugly into the bottom of the dress form, so that the lower edge of 
the form may be nailed to the wooden base, or pasted to the card- 
board base with 24-inch stl-ips of gunnned paper. (Fig. 9.) 

Before adjusting the base, however, trim collar and armholes or 
sleeves, and bind by pasting 2J-inch strips over the raw edges, form- 
ing a neat finish. (See fig. 6.) 

Finish the bottom of the form in the same manner. 

Varnish or shellac the inside of the form, and when it is dry enough 
to handle attach base and varnish the outside. 

An inexpensive and satisfactory covering for a dress form ma}^ be 
made of a light-weight gauze "opera-top" undervest. sufficiently 
long to permit of being drawn up around the neck, the extra fullness 



10 Department Circular 207, U. S. Dept. of Agriciiltiire. 

being taken in with shoulder seams. This sufficiently covers both 
arms' eyes and forms a protection for the form, making a foundation 
to which the fabric may be pinned in fitting. 

THE STANDARD. 

It may be desirable to provide a standard of the proper height, so 
that the form may be used for hanging skirts. A standard may often 
be found ready at hand in a discarded music rack, commercial dress- 
form standard, piano stool, or kitchen stool. Simple standards on the 
general order of the Christmas-tree holder may be made at home, or 




Fig. 9. — AdjustiDg- the cardboard base. This should hi into the liottom of the fonu. 
If a wooden base is used, the form is usually tacked to it. The form is most useful 
wheu provided with a stand of proper height. 

a more elaborate standard may be made by a carpenter. Revolving 
standards are especially satisfactory. 

USES OF THE DRESS FORM. 

Among the uses for the dress form arc planning and fitting new 
garments, pattern making and alteration, adjusting collars, girdles, 
vests, and the like, remodeling out-of-style garments, altering ready- 
to-wear garments, and hanging skirts. The position of shoulder 
seam, arm's eye, underarm seam, and normal waistline may be indi- 
cated on the form in pencil or with narrow tape, as may also becom- 
ing outlines for round, square, and V-shaped necks, and for necks and 
arm's eyes of combinations and camisoles. 

o 



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